The reading of Malaysia's Prime Minister's speech may make many Malaysians angry for what emerges is a lack of concern for the OTHER Malaysians which do make up a significant number. But, in para 70 at the end, he does say:-
Nevertheless, on
behalf of the Government and from the bottom of my heart, I would like to urge
all quarters, not to misconstrue the Bumiputera economic empowerment measures.
We will implement all these initiatives and strategies without trampling on the
interests of other groups or deny their rights.
It also must be noted that this speech is made when the UMNO (United Malay National Organizations) general elections is just around the corner, and Najib is the President and whether he will still be President is still uncertain.
The way the government went about BR1M - providing of financial assistance to poor Malaysian households and bachelors also was done irrespective of any ethnic/religious/cultural considerations, so really is Najib, UMNO and BN racist in their approach in governing Malaysia or are they not?
Who are Malays seem to be expanding - I has a family friend who was MIC, but oddly the son today is UMNO... what is Malay, and who is Malay is also changing...likewise, who is Bumiputra? Hence analyzing becomes difficult because who was Malay/Bumiputra before and now may not be the same?
"...in fact, a convert is
defined as Malay, even Mamak and Malbari..have been absorbed as Malays..."
What is sad is also the division of Malaysian society into Malays, Muslim Bumiputra and non-Muslim Bumiputra? So, do we also have Muslim non-Bumiputra and non-Muslim non-Bumiputra?
Malays and
Muslim Bumiputras made up 59.7 percent. While, non-Muslim Bumiputras were 7.6
percent of the overall populace.
What are the names of these 9 main ethnic groups that is Malay? I never knew this fact ..
" 6.1
million Bumiputras in 1970, or 56 percent of the populace. The Malays comprised
nine main ethnic groups, Orang Asli were divided into 18 categories, Sabah
Bumiputras had 40 ethnic groups while Sarawak had 60 ethnic groups.
Let us read the speech of the Prime Minister of all Malaysians....
14 September 2013| last updated at 08:23PM
BUMIPUTERA ECONOMIC AGENDA: PM's Speech
PM LAUNCHES BUMIPUTRA ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT COUNCIL BUMIPUTRA
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT COUNCIL BY MALAYSIAN PRIME MINISTER YAB DATO’ SRI MOHD
NAJIB BIN TUN HAJI ABDUL RAZAK ON SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 (SATURDAY), TIME: 10.00
AM, AT DEWAN AGONG TUANKU CANSELOR, UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA, SHAH ALAM,
SELANGOR.
Bismillahirrahmannirrahim
Assalamualaikum
Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and peace be upon you.
1. God willing,
thanks to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala because with his consent we are gathered
this morning, at Dewan Agong Tuanku Canselor of Universiti Teknologi MARA's
Main Campus, an institution which symbolises and is a symbolism of the
relentless struggle of the Malays and Bumiputera.
2. First of all, on
behalf of the government, I record the highest appreciation to the people of
Malaysia especially the Malay and Bumiputra comunities who had supported, given
their mandate and trust to Barisan Nasional at the 13th General Election..to
continue the leadership of the nation. What is more overwhelming is, Umno as
the mainstay of Barisan Nasional, had been able to increase its parliamentary
seat from 79 to 88.
Ladies and gentlemen,
3. This proved,
regardless of the obstacle, despite the accusations, the Umno Transformation
Leadership, with the other Barisan National component parties continued to be
strong, continued to be firm and continued to endure efficaciously, as the pick
of the people, for the next five years ...to pursue the agenda of the Malays
and Bumiputera in our beloved homeland.
4. After the last
General Election was concluded, we heard numerous grumblings, countless laments
and dissatisfaction, raised by the Bumiputra communities, on their lot, future
and direction, with their children and grandchildren in the land of our birth.
5. Indeed, we heard
your cries, ladies and gentlemen. We too, immerse ourselves in your pulses and
restlessness..Yes, indeed!!!...we hear you..we hear you loud and clear.
6. Since the nation
became independent, on Aug 31, 1957, the people had lived in harmony, united,
building the nation. On Sept 16, 1963, Sabah and Sarawak merged with us to form
Malaysia. Thankfully, the unification, brought us a million blessings. Day
after tomorrow, with the grace of god too, we will celebrate the completion of
fifty years, Malaysia's golden jubilee celebration, which, god willing, I will
be attending in the cities of Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.
7. To celebrate the population of the nation, there were 6.1
million Bumiputras in 1970, or 56 percent of the populace. The Malays comprised
nine main ethnic groups, Orang Asli were divided into 18 categories, Sabah
Bumiputras had 40 ethnic groups while Sarawak had 60 ethnic groups.
8. During the 2010 Umno General Assembly, I mentioned that
Jawa is Malay, Bugis is Malay, Banjar is also mentioned as Malay, Minangkabau
is definitely Malay, those of Acheh origin are Malays, in fact, a convert is
defined as Malay, even Mamak and Malbari..have been absorbed as Malays.
9. The 2010 Population and Housing Census, showed Malays and
Muslim Bumiputras made up 59.7 percent. While, non-Muslim Bumiputras were 7.6
percent of the overall populace. Current projections, as of 2012, estimated the
population of Malaysia as 27.4 million people of whom Bumiputras numbered 18.6
million or 67.9 percent.
10. Since Independence, all the Malay and Bumiputra
plannings and economic policies by the Government had been enacted based on the
calculations founded on the composition of the plural communities. In
principle, this had been adopted as a social contract since a long time ago by
the people of Malaysia, as agreed to by the founding fathers of our nation,
protected and articulated in the Federal Constitution through Article 153,
Article 160 (2), Article 161A (6)(a). Also Article 161A (6)(b).
11. Therefore, the Malays and Bumiputras as the core of the
national agenda could not be denied by anybody. Indeed, any matter which is
national in nature, which does not take into account or neglect the agenda of
the Malays and Bumiputras is not fair and just. Ladies and gentlemen,
12. It is important that this must be thoroughly understood
by all quarters that we must always be aware and be careful about the Bumiputra
Agenda being the National Agenda. This is because if the majority Bumiputra
group is not looked after or felt themselves threatened and sidelined, the
country may not achieve peace, stability, and we may not achieve our dream of
becoming a developed nation which is peaceful and prosperous as aspired in
2020.
13. Thereupon, history has proven in the development of the
national economy especially since the New Economic Policy was implemented, not
only Malay and Bumiputra, in fact, all Malaysians shared the bounty from god,
reaping the benefit together, the result of the national economic development.
Clearly, this we had done without taking, or depriving anybody's right but
rightly through the creation of new wealth and generating strong economic
growth.
14. The chronicles of the world had shown how if a
government failed to play its pro-active part in balancing the socioeconomy
fairly, between the haves and have nots, between capitalists and workers,
between land owners and tenants, between white collar workers and blue collar workers,
it would be and is the harbinger of catastrophes.
15. In retrospect, the New Economic Policy, namely, NEP had
been introduced in 1971 by the late Tun Abdul Razak, my father, to tackle the
issue of inter-ethnic socioeconomic imbalances and poverty erradication
following the May 13, 1969 tragedy.
16. That's how the
New Economic Policy was implemented between 1971 and 1990. Since 1965 until
2010, 10 Malaysia plans and three Long Term Plans had been implemented.
17. The National
Development Plan was between 1991 and 2000. Later, there was the National
Vision Policy traversing 2001 to 2010. In the meantime, I also launched the
National Transformation Policy, during the tabling of Budget 2010, as the axial
reinforcement and a catalyst for achieving Vision 2020.
18. Since independence, the government had created numerous
instruments and institutions for the Malays and Bumiputras, among which were
Bank Bumiputera, Tabung Haji, MARA, FELDA, RISDA, FELCRA, UDA, PERNAS, DARA,
JENGKA, KETENGAH and KESEDAR. The third Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn on his
part, had set up Permodalan Nasional Berhad and launched Skim Amanah Saham
Nasional.
19. As we also know, the interest of Bumiputra had been
further strengthened by the fourth Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahathir through the
privatisation policy and Vision 2020, which became the current track on which
the nation is progressing. The fifth Prime Minister, Tun Abdullah had created
corridors to boost regional economic development.
20. Since I took over the administration of the nation, the
government had launched the New Economic Models, which aspired to turn Malaysia
into a developed, high income nation, with balanced growth, witnessing the
Malay and Bumiputra communities on par with other communities with the advent
of a developed nation status in seven years.
21. Furthermore, the New Economic Model introduces an
inclusive development approach based on growth with equity to ensure all
communities in Malaysia obtain benefit from economic development and the
nation's riches.
22. Meanwhile, the 10th Malaysia Plan, starting from 2011 to
2015, is aimed at providing fair opportunities to all Malaysians, regardless of
ethnic groups or geographical position, to be together involved in all economic
activities. This is based on the principle of friendly market, based on need,
transparency and merit. But the meritocracy here meant competition among
Bumiputra.
23. The government had also introduced the Government
Transformation Programme and Economic Transformation Programme to form a
national economic development ecosystem which is strong and resilient. Due to
the implementation of the transformation programme, the national economic
growth had recorded a strong growth in an uncertain global economy. In 2011 and
2012, the rate of growth of the national economy was 5.1 and 5.6, respectively.
24. What I want to
stress here, that is, continuous growth such as this is crucial, because,
firstly, only with growth can we distribute the riches of the nation to all
Malaysians. Ladies and gentlemen,
25. Through a careful and wise economic planning, the
standard of living of Bumiputra have gone up. For example, the Bumiputra
monthly average household income had gone up from RM172 in the 1970s to RM4,457
in 2012 or almost 2,500 percent in 42 years.
26. The Bumiputra poverty rate had gone down from 64.8
percent in the 1970s to 2.2 percent in 2012. The Bumiputra corporate company
equity rate had also gone up from only 2.4 percent in the 1970s to 23.5 percent
in 2011.
27. Furthermore, except for several specific employment
sectors, the number of Bumiputra employed in the professional category,
especially those qualified as medical doctors, engineers and lawyers had
approached the percentages of the racial composition. 28. This proved the New Economic Policy, as
a preliminary measure had been successful in tackling the gap between the
communities in the effort to develop the socioeconomy of the Bumiputra
community. Clearly, during the last four decades, the Bumiputra community had
entered the first phase of the transformation.
29, Nevertheless, the government is aware that there still
exists the disparity in income between the ethnic groups. For example, in 2011,
the average monthly income of the Chinese was higher than Bumiputra by a ratio
of 1:43.
30. In the context of corporate company equity ownership, we
have yet to achieve a target of at least 30 percent. Our effective control on
corporate companies currently is only around 10 percent. The government also
understands that the involvement of the Bumiputra communities in
entrepreneurship activities is still insignificant and the majority is at the
small and micro levels.
31, As such, Ladies and Gentlemen, on the support given by
Malays and Bumiputra at the 13th General Election recently, today the
government decides to make a big shift to implement concrete and total
strategies and approaches.
32. This meaningful and historical meeting, we name the
Bumiputra Economic Empowerment Council. All these, we undertake, to look after
the lot of the Malay and Bumiputra communities, since the past, presently and
forever. The Empowerment of the Bumiputera Economy focuses on five major
strategies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Focus of the First Empowerment :
ENABLE BUMIPUTRA HUMAN CAPITAL
33. As we understand, human capital is the most important
aspect in developing a community. The government, in truth, had been successful
in emplacing Bumiputra students in local and foreign public institutions of
higher learning. As such, the next phase is to empower the Bumiputra human
capital leading towards matching qualifications and skills with the needs of
the market.
34. Towards this end, firstly, for youths with low academic
qualifications and skill levels, the government had increased skills boosting
programmes to provide a second chance so they would have more opportunities to
get employments.
35. In this aspect too, reskilling programmes are escalated.
Towards this end, additional allocations would be given to GiatMARA to procure
the latest high technology equipment to carry out training programmes.
Meanwhile, the number of training programmes handled by National Youth Skills
Institute would also be increased by adopting the two shifts approach.
36. Secondly, to the unemployed Bumiputra graduates, the
government will intensify training programmes to boost their marketability, to
suit the need of the industry. For this purpose, programmes such as 1Malaysia
Training Scheme, Graduate Employability Management Scheme and Skills Steering
Programme would be expanded to boost the number of beneficiaries.
37. Thirdly, to boost the number of highly qualified
individuals, the related agencies such as the Public Service Department and
MARA would expand Post Degree Education Programmes to meet the need of the
market especially in critical and high technology sectors.
38. Fourthly, in turning out more Bumiputra professionals,
Professional Leadership Programmes under the Bumiputera Education Steering
Foundation (YPPB) and similar programmes would be expanded. This will help them
obtain recognition as professional and accredited manpower, especially in
critical areas such as accountancy, specialist doctors, architecture,
engineering and actuarial science.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Second Empowerment Focus: STRENGTHENING THE BUMIPUTRA EQUITY OWNERSHIP
IN THE CORPORATE SECTOR.
39. To date, the maximum limit for each individual in Amanah
Saham Bumiputera investment is RM200,000. As such, to encourage participation,
especially among the middle Bumiputra group in owning shares, I proudly
announce the Skim Amanah Saham Bumiputera 2 or ASB2 would be launched by
Permodalan Nasional Berhad with an injection of 10 billion units of shares.
40. Equinas, on its part, will be given the responsibility
of taking over the role of spearheading the Skim Jejak Jaya Bumiputera
programme. The programme would be transformed through management equity and
skill, to guide Bumiputra companies for listing on Bursa Malaysia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Third Empowerment Focus: STRENGTHENING BUMIPUTRA
NON-FINANCIAL ASSETS.
41. Bumiputra are still lagging in non-financial asset
ownership such as houses, industrial premises and commercial complexes. For
example, in 2012, the transaction of residential homes recorded by the National
Property Information Centre, indicated only 36.3 percent of transactions of
residential homes involving Bumiputra with a value of almost RM18 billion or 26
percent.
42. From another angle, many non-financial assets such as
property among Muslim Bumiputra, which were not managed in an orderly manner or
neglected had caused the value of the assets to become low. As such, to
optimise the value and benefit of the assets, for starters, Malaysian Wakaf
Foundation would be spruced up and upgraded into a corporate entity.
43. The roles of property institutions such as Pelaburan
Hartanah Berhad, Majlis Amanah Rakyat and Perbadanan Usahawan Nasional Berhad
would be empowered to develop or obtain commercial and industrial property
especially at strategic locations nationwide.
44. In addition, the government is aware the capability of
the Bumiputra communities to own homes is low on top of the increasing prices
of houses. Towards empowering property ownership, to generate Bumiputra wealth,
the government through Syarikat Perumahan Rakyat 1Malaysia or PR1MA and
Syarikat Perumahan Negara Berhad with the cooperation of the state governments
would increase the number of affordable homes for Bumiputras nationwide.
45. Meanwhile, according to statistics, 58 percent of the 72
percent Malaysians staying in the urban areas are Bumiputra. But, the
government knows, the percentage of Bumiputera property ownership in town is
low. So, without government intervention to correct the situation, the Bumiputera
property ownership is becoming worse.
46. As such, the role of UDA Corporation would be
strengthened to help the development of property including homes, complexes and
trading spaces, industrial and commercial buildings in urban areas.
47. In connection with this too, I will direct GLCs and
GLICs which are involved in the property sector to stress on the development of
Bumiputra property especially housing, shoplots and commercial premises. Ladies and Gentlemen,
Fourth Enpowerment Focus: ENHANCING BUMIPUTRA
ENTREPRENUERSHIP AND COMMERCE
48. As we all know, commerce and entrepreneurship are the
most important activities to generate income and riches. However, the
participation of BumiputraS in such activities is low because of several
constraints faced including outdated production technology, lack of access to
funds and capital and limited markets.
49. In overcoming the issue of access to financing funds for
small and medium entrepreneurs, the roles of Bumiputra entrepreneur agencies
such as Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, TEKUN Nasional, MARA and PUNB would be
strengthened so that the number of Bumiputra entrepreneur recipients would
increase, including in Sabah and Sarawak.
50. In this regard, I am happy to announce, an additional
allocation of RM300 million for Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia for five years. The number
of friends of Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia, the majority of whom are women, is
targeted to rise from 350,000 people to 500,000 people in 2015.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
51. At this opportunity too, I announce an additional
allocation of RM700 million for TEKUN Nasional. The number of TEKUN
entrepreneurs is also expected to go up from 270,000 this year to 370,000 in
2015.
52. In response to the laments of entreprenuers who were
encountering problems of market access, I will direct all ministries and GLC to
strengthen their Bumiputra vendor development systems. The selection of vendors
must be based on merit among Bumiputras. In this manner, Bumiputra
entrepreneurs could be capable of becoming strong and progressive.
53. In line with this, I also want the vendor contract and
concession periods to be syncronised with the bank loan repayment periods so
their projects could run smoothly.
54. In connection with empowering the Vendor Development
Programme or VDP, Petronas must boost its VDP programme, to strengthen its
supply chain for the oil and gas sectors. The same goes for Tenaga Nasional in
the energy sector, Telekom Malaysia and AXIATA in the communication sector, UEM
in construction while Sime Darby and Felda Global Ventures for the plantation
sector.
55. With the empowerment of the Bumiputra economy too, I
want all Chief Executive Officers in GLCs to fix targets on the participation
of Bumiputra including acquisitions awarded to vendors. This should be included
in the Key Peformance Index for the Chief Executive Officers of the respective
companies.
56. In this regard, I am happy to share that in the oil and
gas sector between now and 2017, Petronas is implementing and will carry out
several main upstream and downstream projects. Through these projects, we have
worked out so that Bumiputra companies would benefit from contracts worth RM20
billion each year for upstream and downstream service work.
57. The shelf life of such facilities are usually about 25
years or more. It is estimated at least 22 critical work scopes would be
created to benefit Bumiputra companies.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
58. To tackle the issue of supply chain, the government
through GLC and GLIC would develop a group of Bumiputra entrepreneurs who would
involve themselves in activities related to manufacturing and industrialisation
which have potentials and higher value-added. In this context, GLC and GLIC
would helm effort to create several Bumiputra consortiums in the sectors
involved.
59. The privatisation programme, generally, had succeeded in
becoming catalysts to create successful Bumiputra individuals and companies. As
such, to escalate the programme, the Private Public Cooperation Unit or UKAS
will take the initiative to identify selectively any viable government service
to be privatised to Bumiputra.
60. In a move to
ensure opportunities for Bumiputra companies to obtain contracts and in
preparation to compete in the future, the carve out policy would be expanded to
other big projects under the ministry, GLCs and GLICs. This policy was
successfully carried out in the MRT projects where 47 percent or nine billion
ringgit were awarded to Bumiputra companies selected on meritocracy.
61. For example, four additional projects which had been
identified to take part in the programme are Merdeka Heritage Tower Project,
Bukit Bintang City Centre, MATRADE Exhibition Centre and the Sungai Buluh
Rubber Research Institute Development programme.
62. In furtherance of the agenda, it is appropriate that we
build a New Bumiputra Entrepreneur Community that is resilient, competitive,
innovative and daring to take risks. They also must have a deep interest and
are passionate about participating in new knowledge-based fields such as
information technology, biotechnology and green technology.
63. Towards this aim,
a new and unique financing scheme named Bumiputra New Entrepreneurs Starting
Scheme or SUPERB would be introduced. The scheme is aimed at aiding start-up
companies. For this purpose, an allocation of RM100 million would be provided
in a three-year period.
64. SUPERB will
provide grants up to RM500,000 to creative and innovative new entrepreneurs in
strategic sectors which had big potentials in the future.
65. The selection of
Bumiputra entrepreneurs would be based on merit and would be done by a panel of
entrepreneurs who are already successful. Furthermore, new entrepreneurs who
were picked would also be mentored by those who were already successful.
Focus on the Fifth Empowerment: STRENGTHENING THE SERVICE
DELIVERY ECOSYSTEM
66. As I have mentioned, the government hears the
expressions of feelings emanating from the Bumiputra communities on their level
of participation in socioeconomic development programmes. As such, to ensure
the socioeconomic development of Bumiputra were effectively implemented, the
delivery system would be streamlined and compacted to create an efficient,
comprehensive and constructive ecosystem.
67. For this, Bumiputra Development Units or UPB would be
created in all ministries. The Bumiputra Development Unit is responsible for
formulating suggestions and implementing Bumiputra Agenda initiatives.
68. Appreciating the interest and struggles of Bumiputra, I
wish to quote seven wills by the Nine Malay Rulers when consenting to the
independence agreement to set up a federation.
TRULY:
"We declare and we keep for you and we allow you to
declare and keep for your children and grandchildren, other than the mountains,
lakes and forest reserves,
Malay Reserve land up to a ratio of 50 percent, the rest
you, together with the other communities, may grab". Ladies and Gentlemen,
69. This will is very clear. It has stated the equity and
the ownership of the Malays and later expanded to Bumiputra, through the
unification of Sabah and Sarawak when Malaysia was set up 50 years ago.
70. Nevertheless, on
behalf of the Government and from the bottom of my heart, I would like to urge
all quarters, not to misconstrue the Bumiputera economic empowerment measures.
We will implement all these initiatives and strategies without trampling on the
interests of other groups or deny their rights.
Acknowledging
that corruption exists in all areas, he said middlemen unnecessarily
increased the cost of doing business as they get a cut or commission
while adding no value to the business.
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